Increase glass from licensed premises by half – Morley

Mr Morley said: “I would like to lay down the challenge to industry to increase the tonnage collected from licensed premises by at least 50% in the next two years.”

Environment minister Elliot Morley

In his first public speech as environment minister at a conference to mark National Glass Week yesterday (19/06/03), the minister argued that a range of approaches would be needed to almost double glass recycling and meet European Targets.

He said: “The UK will need a combination of bring sites and kerbside collection in order to meet future targets… and as well as households, we also need to maximise the amount of glass collected from industrial and commercial sources, and in particular, licensed premises.”

Under the European Packaging Directive, the UK will need to almost double its glass recycling from 34% (2002) to 60% by 2008.

But Mr Morley said that in terms of recycling, pubs, clubs and restaurants were underperforming. Currently, 75-90% of waste glass from the licensed retail sector is sent to landfill sites.

Mixed glass

Speaking at a British Glass conference attended by industry and local authority representatives, the minister also stressed the importance of collecting different glass colours separately.

Glass makers need very pure colours for manufacturing new containers and collectors say they are unable to &#39c;olour sort' large amounts of mixed glass. The rest must go to alternative uses such as aggregates and the re-melt industry loses out on valuable 'white' or clear cullet.

“I wouldn't want local authorities to increase the amount of recycling by going for mixed recycling,” Mr Morley said. He explained: “There is a role for aggregates in recycling – they are replacing quarry aggregates and provide a use for excess green glass. But if we don't get the balance right, there will be a decline in white glass. ”

The minister also urged the glass industry to work closely with local authorities to build on good practice and advocated a change in banks from &#39b;ottle banks' to 'glass banks,' in order to stress the need for clear glass jars.

Landfill Tax

When quizzed by an audience member on the speed of increase of the landfill tax, the minister said the current target, of 35 per tonne per year in the 'medium term' was “about right” but promised to take the matter up with the Treasury.

“In my discussions with the Treasury, I will make the point that financial instruments are a very important tool not only in bringing about the shifts in behaviour that we want to see but also in terms of helping one sector develop, particularly in the recycling world,” he said.

“The other side of the coin is that recycling is an industry as well. Jobs and growth are important in that sector too and if you can give encouragement in relation to financial instruments and fiscal measures then of course it should be done. I think it is legitimate to question whether that balance is right.”

He added: “I can't promise you it's going to change immediately because we work on annual spending programmes even within the government's three year cycles but I think it's something which is worthy of giving further thought.”